Nurse guilty of misconduct after forging prescription

An Auckland rest home nurse forged a prescription for Reductil in the name of a resident. File photo / NZ Herald

An Auckland nurse found guilty of professional misconduct has been suspended from practising for six months and ordered to pay costs of $10,000.

Rest home nurse Rosylin Rada Singh forged a prescription for Reductil in the name of a resident in November 2009 and presented it at a pharmacy, the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal said in a report released today.

She intended to use the drug herself, tribunal chairman Bruce Corkill said.

"The tribunal was satisfied that the incident involved abuse of a patient's prescription and amounted to malpractice and the bringing of discredit to the profession."

Singh was found guilty of professional misconduct and ordered to pay costs of $10,000. The tribunal decided not to fine her because of her financial circumstances.

Her registration was suspended for six months, with strict conditions imposed should she return to nursing, including a psychologist's report and supervision for a year.

- NZPA